Mauritania: A Tactical Look at the Nouakchott Bombing

A suicide bomber targeted the French Embassy in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Aug. 8. The attack — the first suicide bombing in Mauritania — appears to have been carried out by locals affiliated with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Other al Qaeda franchises have switched to suicide bombings as they grow closer to al Qaeda prime, as seen in Afghanistan and Algeria. Al Qaeda operations in Mauritania should be watched for signs that local militants are receiving assistance from experienced operational commanders from abroad.